JUST IN: DESPITE HEAVY OPPOSITION, LAKEWOOD TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE PAVES THE WAY FOR DORMITORIES, WEDDING HALLS AND MID-RISE RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT BUILDINGS ON CROSS STREET

Ignoring heavy opposition from numerous neighbors, Lakewood's Township Committee on Thursday adopted an ordinance to permit for more dormitories, wedding halls, and mid-rise residential apartment buildings to be constructed in the Township.

The neighbors, who are represented by Attorney Vincent J. DelRiccio, Esq. of the firm of R.C. Shea & Associates are expected to soon file a lawsuit seeking to overturn the new ordinance.

As first reported here on FAA News, back in August 2024, the Committee introduced Ordinance 2024-034 for a School Overlay Zone.

The Ordinance highlights an apparent major concern of the Township Committee:

WHEREAS, Lakewood Township continues to experience rapid population growth with a need for additional public and private schools for its residents; and

WHEREAS, the continued construction of schools in various zones in an often haphazard fashion adversely impacts traffic flow throughout Lakewood Township; and

WHEREAS, these conditions support the creation of an overlay zone in a rapidly developing section of the southwest portion of the township to facilitate both the orderly construction of schools and associated residential development for students and faculty along with necessary road and utility infrastructure.

The propose solution to this apparent big concern is the creation of the School Overlay Zone which "is intended to provide an optional development technique for residential and school development, consistent with the goals of the Township of Lakewood, and to facilitate the development of infrastructure, including new and improved roadways, potable water extensions, sanitary sewer extensions and stormwater management facilities to support the proposed development."

The School Overlay Zone is generally located east of the Jackson Township/Lakewood Township border, northeast of Farady Avenue, west of Cross Street and south of Maplehurst Avenue.

Currently, this zoning district permits schools with the following design regulations:

Minimum Lot Area — 40,000 square feet

Minimum Lot Width — 150 feet

Minimum Lot Width — 150 feet

Rear Yard Setback — 30 feet

Side Yard Setback — 15 feet with an aggregate of 40 feet

Maximum Building Coverage — 20%

Maximum Building Height — 35 feet

Buffer from a residential use or district - minimum of 20 feet

Contrary to Mayor Coles' earlier claims, the proposed School Overlay Zone will permit for additional uses.

Since the initial introduction back in August, the ordinance has undergone numerous revisions.

The final version, which was adopted tonight as Ordinance 2024 - 41 provides as follows:

Any school shall be permitted to construct and maintain primary use, stand-alone dormitories.

Currently, dormitories are only permitted as a Planned Educational Campus which requires a minimum of 3 acres and is only permitted for a school which is accredited to give a graduate degree.

The new Ordinance eliminates the accreditation requirement and does not specify an acreage requirement.

Schools shall further be permitted to construct residences for married students, staff, including teachers and administration affiliated with the school.

Wedding halls will also be permitted as an accessory use to a school provided that sufficient verification, documentation and professional testimony that adequate parking has been provided for - which shall be reviewed by the Planning Board at the time of application.

Bulk standards for schools

Minimum lot width: 75 feet

Minimum front yard setback: 50 feet

Minimum rear yard setback: 25 feet

Minimum side yard setback: 15 feet with an aggregate of 30 feet for both sides.

Maximum building coverage: 40%

Maximum building height: 38.5 feet.

Accessory building setbacks: Minimum side yard 10 feet; minimum rear yard 15 feet.

Buffer requirements: Minimum of 15 feet shall be maintained as a landscaped buffer or privacy fence between the perimeter boundary of the School Overlay Zone and any development of property within the School Overlay Zone bordering a property not utilizing the Overlay Zone.

Residential Development - single family/duplex units, and/or multi-family housing owned by the school upon property that is either (a) the same property as the school; or (b) contiguous property sharing a common property line; or (c) property within 750 feet of the school's property.

For proposed residential development associated with school use, on lots with three acre minimum developed for schools, the maximum gross density shall be 28 multifamily units per acre, and one duplex (2-family) per acre based on total acreage. For purposes of calculating said maximum gross density, the tract area devoted to residential development shall be deemed to include any contiguous property owned or controlled by the school that shares a common property line with the school.

Under no circumstances shall the net residential density exceed 40 multifamily units per acre and 4 duplexes (2-family) per acre.

Bulk standards for Residential Development

(a) Minimum lot area: 3 acres

(b) Minimum front yard setback: 50 feet

(c) Minimum rear yard setback: 30 feet

(d) Minimum side yard setback: 10 feet with an aggregate of 15 feet

(e) Maximum building coverage: 45%

(f) Maximum building height for single family or duplexes: 35 feet

(g) Maximum building height for apartments: 65 feet with a maximum of 4 story residential and 1 story parking (consisting of 5 stories, 1 parking and 4 residential)

Parking

1 space per classroom

1of of space for every 250 square feet of Study Hall space

1 space per tutor room

1 space per library

1 space for office area

1.5 spaces per apartment

4 spaces per duplex unit

1 space per daycare staff member plus 1 space per 600 square feet of floor area

I space per dorm room for high schools

0.5 spaces per dorm room bed for higher education schools

Any school constructed in the School Overlay Zone shall have frontage on a public roadway with a minimum paved cartway of 32 feet. All roads shall have adequate fire hydrants as per RSIS standards.

All schools constructed in the School Overlay Zone shall be connected to potable water and public sanitary sewer facilities. No onsite well and/or septic system shall be permitted to service a residence affiliated with a school or the school itself in the School Overlay Zone (wells for irrigation are permitted).

No new approvals will be heard until work commences on installation of sewer and water infrastructure and for 3 means of egress (e.g., Franklin, Newport and Maplehurst or Brush) from the School Overlay Zone. Additionally, no Temporary Certificate of Occupancy nor Certificate of Occupancy resulting from a new application will be granted until this work is completed.

Ahead of today's vote, neighbors retained Attorney Vincent J. DelRiccio, Esq. of the firm of R.C. Shea & Associates to represent their vehement opposition to the proposal.

Mr. DelRiccio sent the Township the extensive letter below highlighting numerous deficiencies and inconsistencies with the ordinance.

Mr. DelRiccio intends to file suit to overturn the new ordinance.

To join the FAA News WhatsApp Status, click here.